We currently purchase our Microsoft 365 licenses directly from Microsoft, and the process has been simple. We're preparing to move to Business Premium and have received a quote from CDW, so we're considering switching to a reseller. For organizations that have used both options, what are the real advantages and drawbacks around pricing, billing, support, license changes, and account access?
4 Answers
A reseller will often offer a discount—commonly around 5% or more—and may provide faster, more knowledgeable support than Microsoft. They can also escalate issues through their Microsoft contacts. Before switching, get the support scope and response-time commitments in writing, since the quality varies a lot between providers.
Direct purchasing gives you the fastest self-service experience. You can add a license immediately, adjust subscriptions without waiting for another company, and deal directly with Microsoft billing and support. If the reseller is only acting as a billing middleman, the savings may not justify the extra administration or possible delays.
Some reseller portals still let customers manage license counts themselves, so this depends on the partner and platform. Confirm whether you’ll have that level of access before signing up.
Check the security and operational details carefully. A reseller may receive delegated admin access to your tenant, so review the permissions and make sure access is limited and auditable. Also confirm who can open Microsoft support cases, how license increases and decreases work, what contract terms apply, and whether invoicing is worth the added vendor relationship. The reseller’s capabilities matter more than the reseller model itself.
The biggest reseller benefits are consolidated invoicing, alternative payment terms, licensing advice, and help finding less-obvious subscription combinations. A good partner may also help right-size licenses and support you during serious tenant or service problems. If they already manage other services for you, the arrangement can be especially worthwhile.
We saved a significant amount on Windows 365 after changing partners because the first reseller couldn’t quote the right CSP options. It’s worth comparing the actual catalog, not just the headline discount.
That support SLA is important. Some resellers respond within hours, while others simply forward you to Microsoft and add another layer to the process.